1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a dispenser and applicator for a liquid animal scent material used in hunting and the like and to a method of dispensing the scent material directly into the air and/or onto desired surfaces. More specifically, the present invention relates to a small shape-sustaining flexible casing enclosing a breakable ampule having a quantity of the liquid scent material contained therein, which when broken allows the liquid scent material to escape from the casing for dispersion in the air or application to any desired surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When hunting animals, a hunter usually enters an area frequented by the species being hunted and in some instances climbs to an elevated position and occupies a stand or occupies a blind for concealing his presence. In order to render hunting procedures more effective and thus more enjoyable, various types of baits and other procedures have been used to entice various wild animals to specific areas when hunting, trapping or fishing. In some instances, a bait which emits a scent or odor has been used for enticing wild animals to a particular area to facilitate the hunting, trapping or fishing procedure. The scent of the urine of the male or female of a particular species of wild animal is frequently used to attract the male and/or female of the species of wild animal to a particular location by applying liquid urine to various surface areas in the location of the hunter. This enables the hunter to more effectively utilize a projectile such as a bullet, shotgun load or arrow to obtain an animal kill with less likelihood that the animal would only be wounded, which could result in the animal still being capable of moving rapidly away from the location of the hunter. Also, the scent of the urine serves to cover or mask the human scent of the hunter in the vicinity.
One example of this baiting procedure is to pour doe urine from a container onto the ground surface in an area adjacent a hunter which may be positioned in a deer stand attached in elevated position to a tree. However, the storage, transport and application of doe urine from a container onto the ground surface or other surface areas is difficult and in some instances can result in contamination of the person dispensing or pouring the doe urine from a container onto surface areas in order to entice a male or buck deer to the area as well as to cover or mask the human scent of the hunter.
The following U.S. patents disclose various devices in which liquid material is sealed into an ampule, capsule or vial which can be opened, punctured or ruptured in order to dispense the liquid material.
______________________________________ 3,614,245 4,747,719 5,327,667 3,792,699 4,784,506 5,746,019 4,211,323 5,288,159 ______________________________________
U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,667 to Fore discloses a scent dispensing device which is adhesively secured to the shoe of a hunter and is capable of emitting an odor to attract deer to the hunter. A frangible container which encloses a scented liquid is disposed between opposing upper and lower plastic strips which are perforated and the lower strip has adhesive for attachment to the shoe of the hunter. A thin layer of absorbent material is disposed between the frangible container and the perforated strips. The hunter must break the container so that liquid from the container can seep into the absorbent layer for evaporation.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,614,245 to Schwartzman discloses a felt tip pen or pad having an internally disposed reservoir for containing a volume of liquid therein. A porous pad extends from the reservoir to an externally disposed tip for applying liquid material to a surface when the reservoir is ruptured or broken.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,019 to Fisher discloses another liquid material dispenser including a frangible vial within a flexible sheath and a wick adjacent the vial. Liquid scent material in the vial is discharged onto the wick when the vial is broken. The wick has an exposed area to enable evaporation of the scented liquid into the atmosphere to attract animals.
The above prior patents and known devices and procedures do not incorporate the use of a sealed but breakable ampule containing liquid scent material such as doe urine enclosed within a shape-sustaining flexible casing having a porous, absorbent, plug applicator swab mounted in one end. Nor do the prior art devices include such a structure together with an exposed dispensing cap mounted on the end of the casing having the porous plug applicator swab. The Esurine is applied to various surfaces in the location of the hunter by holding the casing and utilizing the absorbent swab to safely and quickly apply the doe urine to surface areas in amounts sufficient to attract a buck deer to the area and covering or masking human scent of the hunter. The casing is used as a handle to reduce any possibility of the hunter coming into contact with the doe urine during storage, transport or application to the surface areas. The dispensing cap can be mounted on the closed end of the casing and extend along the length of the casing to protect the fingers from any glass that may penetrate the casing when breaking the ampule. Alternatively, the dispensing cap can remain over the end of the swab to absorb scent material from the swab in order to dispense scent directly into the air.